


having the time of our lives

by izumidos



Series: Romance for Dummies [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fake AH Crew, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-07 01:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18227945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izumidos/pseuds/izumidos
Summary: The proper response to being involved in a bank robberydoesn'tinvolve making eye contact with one of the criminals, flirting with said criminal, and growing a small crush on him when it's over.Yet here Gavin is, doing all of the above.





	having the time of our lives

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the first ao3-posted fic of mine for AH! the fakes and freewood have completely captured my heart, and now here i am.
> 
> to get the mood of this whole piece, please play this song while reading: [dancing queen (slowed).](https://youtu.be/wsomVMm6t5U) it's inspired by the tumblr post about how it sounds like a song where someone falls in love during a heist and you're caught in the middle.

**►** **|** **|** **P** **L** **A** **Y**

 It starts like this: in the middle of a bank heist with the distress bell ringing, firefight shots echoing.

In the middle of it all, Gavin hides underneath one of the bank counters in the corner. There’s barely any protection afforded there, most hostages hiding wherever else better, but the hiding isn’t meant to be out of safety; it’s more of a small break in the chaos for Gavin to recuperate and catch a breath. To remind himself just how much he hates banks, that this is an utter inconvenience, and that honestly? Fuck the robbers who had to choose then to start their plan.

He knows he should be more worried for his safety with the violence going on so close, but Gavin – he’s never been a normal person, never been the type to live a life considered normal. And this is Los Santos, of all places; after a while, the violence is less of a threat, more of an annoyance.

If he walks three blocks to the left of his apartment, he reaches the supermarket where everything is marked up again, because of a crew raid. Take a right for five blocks instead, there’s a chance he’ll stumble on not-very-legal dealings and if he’s _really_ unlucky, a dead body or two or maybe a whole crew. Hell, stay in his apartment, and he can hear a gunshot or two outside while he’s trying to do work.

Long story short: these criminals are bastards, but for all the wrong reasons in Gavin’s mind.

Despite it all, these sort of events do bring some fire in his life that Gavin can’t help but enjoy. Without any of those things, he’d be living a boring life, and historically, it’s never been good for anyone when he gets bored. Gavin’s doing the world a favor by living in Los Santos of all places; it has god awful employment opportunities, crime on every street corner, and not the best type of people, but at least it’s _interesting,_ provided it doesn’t disrupt his usual routines.

It’s why he peeks out from his spot under the counter when everyone cowers and trembles. He turns his head to take in the scene, and for a brief moment, the world moves in slow-motion.

Across the bank lobby is one of the criminals – the most dangerous one in the leather jacket and skull mask. Behind the black mask with its right side painted red with blood splatters, somehow, a pair of the brightest blue eyes Gavin’s ever seen makes eye contact with him. It’s like a miniature stand-off amidst the chaos occurring all around them, and Gavin’s always had an awful sense of self-preservation, so he finds himself frozen in place and staring back with wide eyes.

Except he doesn’t feel any fear – hasn’t felt it much since he moved here  – it’s more of a jolt to his system. Even more so when the man’s eyes crinkle behind his mask as if amused, raising a hand to give a two-fingered salute at Gavin as his other one shoots a police officer. A quick turn of his hand, and he pistol whips the one coming up behind him, shooting him dead after without breaking eye contact with Gavin.

And it’s concerning really, how much the cocky act impresses Gavin; he can’t deny how the criminal wears confidence like his jacket, well-fitting and belonging perfectly on him. Gavin can feel how his cheeks go warm, turning bright enough to peek underneath his tanned skin, and he _knows_ that the man in the mask sees it. He knows, because the man blinks back in shock at him for a brief moment – and then fucking _winks._

Winks as if he’s not a criminal robbing the most loaded bank in all of Los Santos, like he’s out walking in the streets like a normal civilian instead of holding them hostage; flirting as if he’s at the bar trying to pick up a warm body instead of shooting down cops trying to suppress him. Doesn’t even blink an eye at their surroundings or the fight, just keeps trucking on and sending flirty winks at Gavin.

It’s simultaneously the dumbest and most attractive thing Gavin’s ever seen.

Gavin huffs with a pout, rolling his eyes as he tucks his knees in and rests his chin on it. He watches the rest of the shootout with less attention on the fight, moreso on the man in the skull mask; like a moth to a flame, he can’t help how his eyes drift towards him every time. It’s enrapturing how the man makes crime look like an artform.

Eventually, there’s a distinct lack of police sirens outside and firing of bullets inside. Gavin eyes the bloodied mess on the hotel lobby, only to avert his eyes afterwards when he feels the starting of his gag reflex. He closes his eyes to dispel the feeling, and he only opens them when he hears the loud creaking of the bank’s wooden front doors followed by fast-paced footsteps.

In a messy line of unique outfits and stuffed bags, the robbers dash out in a chorus of cackles and cheers. If he’s counting correctly Gavin can see five of them, the last of which is standing by with a gun aimed at the civilians and holding the door open.

The criminal’s looking back and forth between the civilians and his team, but when some sort of signal goes out, Gavin finds himself pinned by the blue gaze again. It’s worse how his cheeks turn even redder when the man tilts his head with his eyes scrutinizing Gavin closely. And the icing on the cake really?

The man blows a damned _kiss_ towards his way before he’s off following his team, skull mask still bloodied and gun swinging freely in his hand.

Gavin groans into his knees, hiding his face against it for as long as he can. He peeks up from his hiding spot when he hears the late whirring of a helicopter and the distinct noise of a SWAT team, watches them burst into the mess that the bank’s turned into.

Distantly, he watches them methodically get the trembling civilians out of the bank; he must be a damn anomaly among them when they finally reach him, looking more flustered than afraid of the whole situation. But as he’s escorted out and his eyes bounce around the entire scene to take it in, he notices at least that there’s not a single, dead civilian to be found.

At least that’s one redeeming factor for them; still doesn’t excuse how Gavin has to go to the bank across town now to do his business, or how he still replays the wink and blown kiss from that cocky criminal. And it definitely doesn’t excuse how he finds himself searching up _‘love at first sight in a bank robbery with a criminal’._

It’s all so inconvenient honestly.

 

* * *

 

A few days later, the bank robbery turns into old news. Los Santos is a city built on crime, and Gavin rolls his eyes at the most recent news article detailing a failed police raid of a suspected gang base. Another click, and he snorts at the unfortunate mugshots of idiotically caught crewmembers.

It’s boring really, and Gavin hates boring things.

He exits out of those tabs, opens up a new one and unashamedly types: _los santos skull mask criminal._ It brings up a few shopping deals for buying masks that looks like an imitation of the man from the bank’s, but he pays no attention to those. Instead, he clicks on an article further down the page, titled _‘The Masked Terror of Los Santos: the Vagabond’._

It’s the only decent article Gavin’s read on the guy, detailing out the few, known facts about him. Says that no one knows his face or his voice, but that his name may be Ryan after it slipped from a crew mate’s mouth; that he used to be a freelance mercenary but now runs with the current ruling crew of Los Santos called the Fakes; how the man’s a damned maniac with a screw knocked loose, no mercy for anything but the kill and the glory. 

All terribly horrifying facts, but it only piques his interest more.

(Though a personal addendum: the guy had the prettiest eyes Gavin’s ever seen and acts like an absolute idiot. Gavin’s heart is _swooning_.)

Ever since the robbery, Gavin’s been invested in finding everything about the guy, and he’s even looked into teaching himself how to hack for that information. Maybe not the best reasoning for such a skill, but Gavin’s never claimed to be a selfless guy, and he’s certainly never one to miss out on looking for an attractive guy.

He’s too entranced by the article that he misses how a shadow suddenly looms over him, watching him with an amused expression as he hunches over his laptop like a goblin. There’s an occasional odd noise as he reads portions he disagrees with and mentally amends, even a choking noise as he takes a swig of unfortunately, luke-warm tea, but still no awareness. It isn’t until a soft cough and then –

“How come a pretty guy like you is sitting all alone here?”

Gavin startles in his seat at the smooth, Southern accent that sounds out next to him. Freezes for a moment before his eyes catch his current, then _slams_ his laptop lid shut. He turns narrowed eyes at the stranger that’s suddenly getting into his business, scathing words on the tip of his tongue to bitch out the man.

But the words die on his tongue as quick as they had come when he looks up, his eye connecting with a pair of the brightest blue eyes he’s ever witnessed, and Gavin feels the breath knocked out of him. Deja-vu kicks his ass while his thirst distracts him, because _fuck_ — the bank heist guy is standing there, looking smug with his unmasked face and thumbs tucked into his jean pockets.

“So, you _do_ remember me?” The man chuckles, all low and rumbling, and he takes a seat across Gavin. His lips are tugged into a small smile as he leans back, arms crossed and rippling with muscles that Gavin tries not to stare at (and fails miserably at).

_All_ words escape Gavin at that point, mouth still left flapping open and close in shock. He’s never lived a normal life, had no plans to ever live one in a city like Los Santos, but even this sort of thing makes him reel. He’s still in shock, but the silence is starting to extend too much, so he blurts out the first thing he can think of — 

“ _That_ was the best pick-up line you had?”

The attractive man – _criminal_ , Gavin’s brain reminds him – splutters. Loses his whole slick, suave act he’s got going on, the smirk getting lost to a pout that shouldn’t fit on a criminal but somehow does. He even huffs, cheeks ballooning for a quick second, as if he’s actually indignant about his line being honestly called out for what it is: atrocious.

There must be something weird happening in Los Santos, but the sight is simultaneously adorable and funny enough that Gavin bursts into squeaky laughter, eyes squinting and hands coming up to muffle his mouth. And Gavin’s only been proven right over and over again – Los Santos is the farthest thing from boring. 

(But too busy laughing, Gavin misses how the criminal’s eyes go wide with wonder at his laughter. Misses how just maybe, Gavin’s gotten him hooked as quick as he got to Gavin.

It starts like this, their story: in the middle of a crowded coffee shop, two strangers from opposite lives colliding in the dumbest way possible.)

**◾|| S T O P**

**Author's Note:**

> if you wanna catch more of stuff or yell at me, i'm over on seitjun at [tumblr](https://seitjun.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/seitjun).


End file.
